


To Face the Music

by BearWithAHat



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Hopeful Ending, I love them and will miss them so so so badly, Light Angst, this is me coping with Kevin and romain leaving Haas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:40:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27170531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearWithAHat/pseuds/BearWithAHat
Summary: Following the decision that he and Romain would leave Haas at the end of the year, Kevin finds comfort in the arms of friends.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	To Face the Music

**Author's Note:**

> Started this the day that it was announced that Kev and romain are gonna leave haas at the end of the year 🥺 I really love the both of them. they're incredibly talented drivers who so many people take for granted and I really will miss them. not only do I love em as drivers but I also love Kev and romain as people 🥺🥺 they both seem like such sweethearts, and I have never seen such a lovable and kind dad as romain ❤️ but im sure they'll have exciting futures sjsjs so I just wanted to write smith cute and sweet about them dealing w it 🥺🥺
> 
> and yes I know that they didn't definitely say that they were done in f1, but I think realistically we unfortunately won't see Kmag or RoGro on the grid next year so I went with that assumption 😔👉👈
> 
> ...to be honest, I didn't proofread most of this 😔

Kevin had decided that he was only going to shed a few tears when it was decided that he and Romain were going to be finished with the team at the end of the year. It was just one of the realities of the sport that everyone came and went eventually, and perhaps it was their time too. So he let himself cry a few tears for a few days before drying his cheeks and deciding to move on.

That was before they formally announced the departure of the two of them though, and when the Kevin and Romain did announce that they were leaving, the Dane found himself struggling to keep that promise. There was something about making it publicly known that stirred the bittersweet emotions in him just enough that his eyes watered and he had to blink and look upwards to keep from crying. 

He was wandering about and still battling with himself when there was a hand on his shoulder. Kevin turned around to see the teammate in question standing behind him with a gentle smile on his face.

Kevin wordlessly embraced him, burying his face into Romain's chest and wrapping his arms tightly around him. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks again as he let down his guard and didn't try to stop it. 

"I know, it's okay to be sad," Romain sighed quietly. He held Kevin close to him and rested his cheek against his shorter teammate's head, rubbing his back and letting out a slow breath.

"Ah, I thought I wouldn't get emotional again," Kevin said with a small laugh. He turned his head and looked up at Romain, the subtle height difference between them making him feel like a child being comforted by a parent.

That was something he had come to love about Romain, how he was so caring and fatherly even to those who weren't his actual kids. For someone who participated in such an aggressive and intimidating sport, Romain always remained a gentle person who seemed to have the kindest heart in the world. It made Kevin enjoy spending time with him not just as a teammate but as a friend too; he had come to see the Frenchman as a friend who he could confide in over anything.

"Me too. Sometimes this is how things go though, we all eventually leave the sport one way or another," Romain hummed as they embraced. He ruffled Kevin's hair and felt warm and comforting against Kevin.

Kevin exhaled slowly and felt himself calming down, his tears ceasing and his breathing steadying once more. "I've been looking for silver linings in it though. Thinking about what to do next in life is definitely exciting, even if it's a bit daunting," he mused. The whole 'when one door closes another one opens' thing had definitely been resonating with him in the past few days.

Romain squeezed him close for a few more seconds before letting go and patting his shoulder with a smile. 

"You better still call me every once in a while once the season is over though," he teased, and Kevin grinned back.

"Of course I will, as long as you let me babysit for you from time to time," Kevin responded.

He knew he would miss getting to work with someone as kind and talented as Romain. For as much trash as the media liked to talk about him, Kevin personally thought Romain was the least deserving of negative press out of anyone on the grid. Kevin knew he'd treasure the time they spent together in the years to come.

Later in the day, Kevin went to visit two of his more unlikely friends. They had planned to meet up even before Kevin had made his announcement in the morning, and he knew that he would have some consoling to do as he knocked on Lance's hotel room door.

Sure enough, he was greeted by Lance and Esteban's concerned and upset gazes. Kevin smiled softly and stepped inside, pulling each of them into a hug. The two were a few years younger than him, but Kevin got along greatly with them and they often all got together to play video games or spend a lazy night watching a movie.

Kevin liked to think that they all got on nicely because they were just a bit misunderstood. They all got shit from the media and fans for different things; for Lance, it was his family's fortune, for Esteban, it was seemingly anything he did, and for Kevin himself, he knew that some saw him as a reckless, dangerous asshole. As much as it irritated him from time to time, Kevin generally brushed it off with a scoff and knew that it did no good to dwell on the words of random people online.

"You're leaving?" Lance asked in a quiet tone when Kevin let go of him.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't tell you two sooner, I didn't want you to get upset," Kevin explained, putting a hand on Lance's cheek and brushing away the tears on his skin.

Esteban stood next to Lance and rested his head on his shoulder, nuzzling at Lance's neck. He too had a few tears on his cheeks and Kevin put a hand on his shoulder too. The three of them stood there for a moment, with Lance and Esteban quietly sulking and Kevin doing his best to let the news sink in for them. 

"Come on, let's lay down," Kevin murmured. He was led by the two over to Lance's bed, where he jumped onto the soft blankets and patted the spots beside him. Lance crawled up to lay down beside him on one side and Esteban lay down on the other. Kevin laid down between them and rolled over to gently lay his head on Esteban's chest. 

Esteban wrapped his arms around him and nosed at Kevin's hair, while Lance pressed closer behind him. Kevin could feel the Canadian's warm body behind him and another pair of strong arms around his waist. Pressed between the two of them, Kevin felt warm and comfortable. He put his hand on Esteban's arm and comfortingly rubbed his arm. Lance's hand rested in his hip and Kevin knew he was going to miss spending time with the two of them.

"Don't be too sad, guys. I'll still visit every once in a while and you will have each other to keep company with," Kevin reassured them in a sweet tone. As much as he didn't like to admit it, Lance and Esteban had grown on him. The young pair had wormed their way into his heart and although Kevin sometimes felt like he was babysitting them, he came to love being around them and would miss spending the weekends with them.

What he _also_ knew was that Lance and Esteban exchanged shy looks at each other when they thought nobody was looking, and Kevin was just waiting for them to get together. As their somewhat babysitter, Kevin had always wondered if he should bring it up and give them a nudge in the right direction. It was cute to see them blush when looking at each other and Kevin thought their subtle puppy love was adorable. But, he also knew that they might be too shy to confront their feelings.

Lance was rather quiet and reserved, and Esteban didn't have a clue on how to bring up the topic. Kevin figured he might as well take the opportunity now.

"Ah...yes, Lance and I will miss you but we still have each other," Esteban said. He smiled over Kevin's head at lance and Kevin pretended not to notice the blush on his cheeks.

"You two just need to get together already," Kevin teased, keeping his head on Esteban's chest and feeling Lance rest his cheek against the top of his head.

"I agree but that's a conversation for another time," Lance murmured, and Kevin rolled his eyes fondly and smiled. He heard Esteban let out a quiet noise and Kevin peeked up to see the two of them exchanging a glance, and the soft look on Esteban's face made him feel reassured that at least he was leaving the two youngsters with that settled.

After a few minutes of cuddling against Esteban, Kevin turned onto his other side to tuck his head neatly underneath Lance's chin. He was a bit shorter than them both, and he fit comfortably between them. Kevin could hear Lance still crying quietly and he could feel Esteban attempting to hide his shaky breaths. It hurt him to feel their sadness more than his own disappointment about leaving the sport.

"Don't cry, you two, I'm still here right now," Kevin murmured. He rubbed Lance's back and lay between the two, their arms wrapped around his smaller frame, until Lance and Esteban quieted down and eventually fell asleep.

Doing his best not to wake them, Kevin carefully untangle himself from Lance and Esteban's arms. Standing up, he looked down at his friends. Kevin felt a warmth spreading through his chest and a few tears drip down his cheeks as he smiled softly at the sight of them laying next to each other.

Kevin wandered over to the closet and creaked it open. He dug through the clothes hanging until he found a sweatshirt, one of Lance's that the Canadian wouldn't care if Kevin borrowed, and pulled it on. It was warm and soft and Kevin hugged his arms around himself for a few seconds. 

He padded back over to the bed and lay down between Lance and Esteban once more, ruffling Lance's hair and kissing the top of Esteban's head. Kevin took a deep breath and closed his eyes too. 

Deep down, he knew that it wasn't the end of the world, but rather the end of just one part of his life. The sun would still come up the next day, and every day after that.

**Author's Note:**

> ahh goodness.. there's really not much of a plot to this other than 'Kevin gets hugs and loves his friends.' this was just something self indulgent because I love him and romain and im gonna miss them 🥺
> 
> as always you can find me on Tumblr @esteboo-ocon ❤️


End file.
